world of men's style / fashion / grooming

An UrbanDaddy Publication

10/08/2014

The Kempt Five

Andrew Weinberg

Eric Twardzik

Jason Wire

Lonny Pugh

Every Wednesday we’re giving you a deeper look into what makes the minds behind Kempt tick. We call it: The Kempt Five.

Bill Murray on Howard Stern. “It begins with Murray eating a breakfast danish and ends with Billy Idol sitting in his lap (see above). Along the way the King of All Media and the Guy Who Once Caddied for the 12th Son of the Lama go deep on everything from his early SNL days to Clooney’s wedding to the numerous movie roles he’s turned down over the years (Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Tom Cruise’s part in Rain Man). It’s a must-listen. If for nothing else than to hear Murray wax poetically on In-N-Out burgers.” —A.W.

Cadet Aviator Pants. “On a whim, I recently picked up an olive-green pair of ‘aviator’ pants from Cadet in Brooklyn—which, for me, are easily the most stylishly daring leg coverings I’ve ever owned. I had some serious reservations about being ‘the guy who wears the militarized dress pant/sweatpant hybrid,’ but they were simply too damn comfortable to pass over. And after purchasing them, I realize they’re far less perceptibly fashion-forward than I originally feared them to be. And more importantly, I realized that I didn’t move to New York to not wear militarized dress pant/sweatpant hybrids.” —J.W.

Polish Your Crystal. “About two years ago, my girlfriend bought me a 1950s watch from a Prague antique store. It’s a beautiful little thing, with the name of a country that no longer exists inscribed in tiny letters at the bottom of the face. It’s also at least three times older than I am, and came with the scratches to prove it. I’ve been wearing it every day since, and it somehow managed to pick up more markings in that period than it did in over 60 years of Czech living. After a particularly traumatic tarnishing, I finally took it to the first and best jeweler I could think of to see if anything could be done. As it turns out, a $40 crystal polishing can take 60 years off a watch face. It’s like an extremely economical face-lift, and I can’t believe I hadn’t done it sooner. There’s still one deep, thin scratch they couldn’t take out, right on the ‘Czechoslovakia.’ But you’ve got to leave some character.” —E.T.

A Misadventure in Customization. “Like most people, I’m no fan of standing around waiting in line. One reason, aside from the obvious: the pressure it puts on the destination to be worth it. When A.P.C. recently had a sample sale right next to my favorite neighborhood café... okay, fine, maybe there’ll be something good. Only problem: the line made it harder to walk away empty-handed once inside. I bought a jacket when I wanted a vest. It was a great deal, only... I wanted a vest. And so the line-induced spiral began. I thought: maybe my tailor could just take off the sleeves. Is that weird? I thought: well, if it doesn’t work, oh well. It was practically free. And then: okay. Yeah. That definitely didn’t work. It looks weird. And then I thought: well, maybe if I took it back in and they just... No. I needed to back away. I needed to donate the upsetting jacketvest and move on. Next time I’ll probably just hit the café as usual. Probably.” —L.K.P.

Ralph Lauren Woven Silk Necktie. “I probably have about 40 ties in my closet and 39 of them have gone unworn for the last five years. The reason: this. A black woven silk number from Ralph Lauren that literally goes with every shirt and suit combination at my disposal. It gives a look that is both retro and modern... which I suppose is the definition of a classic.” —A.P.B.